Film-fire-protection device for moving-picture films.



' D. 0. SEAMAN.

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APPLICATION flLBD 001.14, 1912.

1 1 1 1,767. Patented sept. 29, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

WITNESSES-- [NVE/V701?.

UNITED STATES Damiani.' o. ennuie', or mas PATENT OFFICE.

FILH-FIBE-PMTEGTION DEVICE F03 MOVING-PICTURE FILMS.

speomcation of'Letten Ya'ten't.

Patented sept. 29, 1914.

.A application mea october 14,'1912. serial No. 726,147.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it -known that I, Dnnnnirr O. SnAMAN, a citizenl of the United States, residing at Des Moines, county of Polk, and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful Film-Fire-Protection Device for Mov- 'ing-Picture Films, of which the following is and arranged that should the film break at any point in its passage 'through the machine or should the top feed sprocket or the take up feed sprocket fail to operate pro erly, or to carr the film ast the lig t aperture in the m travel o the machine, the fire shutter will be automatically permitted to drop to closed position thereby protectin the ilm against heat.

A furt er object is toprovide in such a device mechanism whereby in a motor driven picture machine the tire shuttenwill be permitted to drop to its closed position whenever the .61m is broken in the machine or whenever it fails to travel properly over any of the sprockets and whereby a switch will be automatically operated to shut dif the power from the motor and to acuate an alarm which may be an audible or visible one.

My invention consists in certain details in the construction, arrangement and com bination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contem lated are attained, as hereinafter more l set forth, pointed out in my claims, and il ustn'ated in the accompan ing drawings, in which- Figure 1- s ows `a verticala longitudinal, sectional view through' a moving picture machine equip d with my improved fire protection device. Fig. 2 shows a detail view of part of the actuating levers. Fig. 3 shows a side elevation of a portion of the machine. Fig. 4 shows a rear elevation of 5 and 6 a 'pogimof' the machine. Fi n show4 tail views of a portion o the shutter.

and the shaft on `which the same is mounted andFi 7 shows a sodio al, detail view of the mec anism shown in 5 and 6.

In the 'accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate generally the frame of a moving picture machine which may be of any suitable construction. Practically all of the standard machines of this character are provided with mechanism for carrying afmoving pic- "ture lm past an opening through which the light is thrown. v I Machines of this class have a to feed sprocket -11 and a take up feed sprochet 12, and an intermittent sprocket 13 which I shall hereinafterfmore specifically refer to. The film 14 from a 4reel maybe passed under an idler roller 15 and over the sprocket? 11, then under an adjustable roller 16 lwhich may be moved closer to, or farther from the iilm and the s rocket 11 by means of a small tlever 17. he film is usually fed through the machine in such a way'that a loog or slack portion 18 is left between the fee s rocket and the intermittent sprocket. The s ack portion 18 is shown in Fig. 1 just after the film vhas left the feeder sprocket. The ilm passes downwardly over a roller 19 and past the opening 20 over the intermittent sprocket 13.A The film is held against the intermittent sprocket 13 by means of a roller 21.l

It is customary in moving picture machinos tneave a slack loop or portion 22 'in the film tween the intermittent sprocket 13 and the take up freed sprocket 12. In the drawings, I have shown the film extended downwardly from the intermittent sprocket 13 under and to positioiiasnmewhat elow the roller 23, then u wardly over the take up .feed sprocket 1 The filmy is held agamstglie take u feed s rocket 12 by means o ajroller 2 mounte on an adjustable bracket 25 which is controlled by; a lever 26. In this connection, it may be noted that standard iilms are provided `alon each edge with a series of perforationsvan the sprockets hereiiibefore referred to are really comprised of rollers having at their outer ends teeth which engage "said perforations and carry the film along.

It will be understood that moving picture machines areprovided with mechanism not herein described' and formin no part of my present invention wher-'eb e sprockets 11 and l2 are' steadily rev ved, and whereby that i .the sprocket intermittently revolved. to. lbring each. photograph of the ilm before Athe film.

the opening 20, and to permit it to remain therefor an instant. It will be seen that the loops 18 and 22 are necessary on account of the intermittent motion of the sprocket13. In the front of the opening 20 is an o ening 27 in a plate' 28. In front of the pliite 28 is a plate A29 having the light aperture 30 therein, which Qpenin 30 registers with the openings 27 and 20. xtending transversel across the machine above the o ening 30hs a shaft 31 on which the fire s utter 32 is mounted in the following manner: Theshutter 32 has at its upper end a cylinder 33 rotatably mounted on the shaft 31. The shaft 31 is provided with a longitudinal central opening 34 in which is slidably mounted a cylinder 35. A longitudinal slot 36 communicates with the opening 34 and extends to the outer surface of the shaft 31. vThe slot 36 is considerably shorter than the opening 34. Mounted in the opening 34 between one end of said opening and one end of the cylinder 35 is an expansible coil spring 37 designed to hold the cylinder 35 at the outer limit of its movement. Extending outwardly from the cylinder 35 is a pin 38 which slides in the slot 36 with every movement of the cylinder 35. The shutter cylinder 33 is rovided with a longitudinal slot 39 which, in one position of the movement of the shutter 32 with relation to the shaft 31, registers with the slot'36 in the shaft 31. At one end of the slot 39 is an offset ortion`40.

It will be seen that when the pin 38 is received in thc slots 36 and 39 anyvrota'tion of the shaft 31 -willcause movement of theshutter 32. On'one end of the shaft 31 is an arm 41 of ordinary construction such as is found on standard moving picture machines. Said machines are also provided with mechanism which I have'indicated generally by. the reference numeral 42 whereby the arm 41 is moved whenever the machine is laced in operation to raise the. shutter 32. or causing the arm 41 to return to its normal posii tion which isbelowlthe'shaft 31 whenever the mechanism' 42 ceases to operate upon said arm 41, I have mounted upon the shaft 31 and secured to a suitable art of machinery adjacent thereto a 'coi s ring 45. With the ordinary machines tlies utter 32 is held in its raised machine is in operation.

It is the purpose of my invention, as hercinbefore set forth to furnishmechanism -in addition to that ordinarily employed Qn ai machine of this class, whereby the shtter 32 ma be acted upon to permit it to rop over e light aperture upon the happening of certain contingencies in connection wit The rotary movement of the cylinder 33 on the shaft 81. is limited by the pin 38 in itsy movement in the slot 39 and the extensi9n 40. My improved mechanism for permitting sition as soon asY the f the shutter 32 to drop to vertical position from raised osition whenever there is a break in the lm or the lm lfails to travel properly through the machine is described as ollows: The sprocket 11 is mounted on a shaft 46. Mounted on the shaft 46 is an arm 47 in which the shaft 46 rotates freely. The arm 47 lextends in opposite directionsl fromthe shaft 46 in sustantially a horizontal position. On one 'end of the arm 47 which I will callits forward end, is a roller 48 over which the film 14 travels after it leaves the sprocket 11. It will be seen that if the slack portion 18,0fthe film is tightened the forward portion of the arm 47 will be drawn downwardly and the rearward portion of said arm will be moved u wardly.

. suitably mounted on the frame o the machine at al oint below the level of the shaft 46 is a stu screw 49 having forwardly and rearwardly extendin arms 50 and 51 mounted thereon. Pivotal y secured to the rearwardly extending portion of the arm 47 is a downwardly extending link 52, the lower end of which is pivoted to the arm 50 at a point in front ofthe stud 49. The arm 50 is held at the ldownward position of ,its movement by means of a weight 52l de ndent therefrom. A transverse rock sha t 53 is mounted in front of the shaft 49. Fixed on the shaft 53 is the rearwardly extending arm 54, the rear end of which rests just above the forward end of the arm 50, as shown in Fig. 1 when the parts are in their normal positions. The arm 54 is provided with a forwardly extending ortion 55 anda downwardly and rearward y extending portion 56 of approximately the same length. The outer ends of the portions 55 and 56 are connected by a curved platel 44, on one ed of which is a curvedlaterally extending ange '43, the edge'of which is-beveled or inclined, as shown in Fi 4 and 6. When the 4arm 41 is there y rotating theshaft 31 and raising the shutter 32, thepin 38 stands in substantially vertical position and when the film is traveling pro rly the narrowest part of the flan e 43 is adiicent to the pin 38. It will rendi y be seen that if the arm 54 is raised the wider part of the flange 43 will en ge the pin 38 and slide the same longituilnall in the slots 36 and 39'until the pin enters the extension 40. The pin 'will no longer support the shutter 32 which .will drop b a force of gravity to. the position shown y the dotted nes n Fig. 1, thereby covering the opening 30 and protecti the film against the light and h eat whichtravel on the lines of the horizontal dotted lines in gounted 'on' the frame of the machine preferably below the s rocket 12, is a stud 57 on which is pivotal y'moiinted a downwardly and forwardly extending arm 58 on the end of 'which is a roller 59 which stands adjacent to the path of the film 14 whenthe parts are in normal position. Fixed to the upper end ofthe arm 58 is a rearwardly extending arm GOwhich supports a weight 61, whereby the arm 58 is normally held at the forward position of its movement. The arm 58 is held in position by the film 14 when the latter is passing through the machine, as clearly shown in Fig. l, at a point between the take-up feed sprocket 12 and the fire protection rollers 62. Pivoted to the shaft on which the roller 59 is mounted is a rearwardly extending arm 63 which is slidably mounted in a block 64 and is capable of slight tilting movement therein. Should' the film break or pass entirely out of the machine, thereby permitting the arm'58 tomove forwardly, then the rod 63 will stand in the path of the film and it will be necessary to move the arm 58 rearwardly to its proper position before another film is passed through the machine.

Pivoted to the stud 57 is a rearwardly extending arm 65. A link 66 is pivotally connected at its upper end to the rear end of the arm 51 and at its lower end to the arm 65. Formed on the arm 65 is a substantially verticalslot 67 in which travels a pin '68 extendin r laterally from the arm 60. The parts )ust described are so constructed that if the arm 65 tips downwardly the pin 68 will travel in the slot 67 and will not move the arm 60. On the other hand if I,the arm 58 should move forward a considerable distance the in 68 reaches the limit of its movement 1n the slot 67 and moves the arm 65. On a stud 69'is a rearwardly extending arm 7 0' having a downward andforward eittension 71 on which is the roller 23 hereinbefore mentioned which is encircled by the slack portion or loop 22 of the film. 0n the rear end of the arm is a short lateral entension 7 2 which normally rests just above the arm 65.

The operation of the mechanism hereinbefore described, as far as it affects the closing of the shutter will now be more particularly illustrated: Assuming the machine to be in operation and the lm to be passing through themachine in the proper manner, ,the shutter 32 will be held in its raised position by the pin 38. lli? for any reason the film 14 should be broken in two one end of it will pass between the fire protection rollers 62 'and into the magazine. The instant the rearward pressure oi" the film 14 on the roller 59 mounted on the arm 58 lis released, the weight 61 will drop downwardly carrying with it the arm 66 and thereby moving the arm 58 forwardly and upwardly past the path of hlm travel to position where the rod 68 stands in path. As lthe arm 60 drops downwardlyA the pin. 68 engages the lower edge the slot 67 therebyl drawing the arm' 65 downwhere it wardly. Through the linx 66 the arm 51 is moved downwardly thereby raisingthe arm 50 and the arm 54 and moving the wider portion of the flange 43 into contact with the pin 38. The pin 38 is moved to the extension 40 of the slot 39 ermitting the shutter 32 to drop to closed) position. Assuming that the intermittent sprocket 13 "fails to act properly, as for instance, for

the reason that the perforations in the film are torn out so that the film is not properly engaged by the teeth on the sprocket 13, then the sprocket 12 will take up the slack portion 22 causing the lm to engage and raise upwardly the roller 23. The extension 72 on the arm 70v will engage the arm 65 and force the same downwardly, thereby putting in operation the mechanism whereby the shutter is moved to closed osition. Assuming 'that the difiiculty is t at the sprocket 11 fails to properly conve the film `then the' intermittent sprocket wil take up the slack ortio'n 18 and the film will engage the ro ler 48 lowering the arm 47, raising the link 52 and through the ,arms 50, 54, 55 and 56, the curved plate 44 and the Hange 43, sliding the pin 38 to position ermits the shutter to drop.

It will e seen that my improved device is effective where the picture machine is operated by a motor, by hand power or from any other source of ener I have provided ad itional mechanism for machines operated from a motor whereby the motor is shut olf and an alarm is actuated when any of the contingencies mentioned above arise.

In Fig. 1, l have shownthe motor 75 included in an electric circuit in which the current is 'originated in the batteriesV 76.

l have shown also a two-way switch having the movable switch member 77 whiizh may be 'moved to en agement with either of the contact points 8 or 79. I have rovided a third wire connected with one o the wires ofthe circuit and with the contact point 79. The other wires are lconnected respectively with the switch member 77 and with the contact point 78. liivoted to the rear end of the arm 65 is a downwardly extending link 80 which is pivoted at its lower end to one arm off a bell crank lever 81. The other arm ci the lever 81 is pivoted to a link 82 which is secured to the movable switch member 77 by means of insulating material 83.

The parts inst described are so arranged that when the arm 65 is in its normal position the switch member 77 engages the contact point 78 and the current from the batteries passes through the motor whereby the machine is operated. `When the arm 65 drops downwardly upon the happening oit any on? the contingencies hereinbefore men- 'tioned switch member 77 is moved by MtlY means of the link 80, the lever 81 and the link 82 to position in engagement with the contact point 79. The, current through the motor is then broken anda circuit is established through an lalarml 84 which lmay be visible or audible as desired.

' With the moving picture projectin The advantages of my improved device may be seen from the foregoing description.

machines now in use, wheneverY the Flm is stopped, even fora brief interval of time longer than the instant necessary for properly showing the picture, there is danger that heat passing' through the aperture 30 will set the film which 1s ordinarily mad of celluloid or similar composition afire.

- Such fires frequently happen in the use of at its'upper edge, means for holdin shutter 1n itsv open position, a lever pivoted said sprocket, thereb moving ,picture machines. The roller 48 also preventsthe teeth on the sprocket 11 from drawing the film 14 below and around avoiding interruption in the travel of t e film.

It will be seen that with my machine, whenever the film fails to travel properly through the machine it automatically actuates mechanism whereby the shutter 32 is permitted to drop to its closed position.

lIn a.4 motor driven machine the motor is between its ends, one end of said lever being designed to stand'noijmally in the path of a slack loop in a film between said sprockets,

a linkpivoted to the other end of said lever,

a second lever pivotally mounted with one end ad'acent to and in operative relation with said shutter holding means for movin the same to inoperative position when sai second lever is moved to one osition of its movement, said link bein pivoted to said second lev'er so that shou d said slack loop become taut the end of said first lever within the loop will be en a ed and lowered and the second lever will tiereby be moved and will engagesaid first means for moving it lto said inoperative position.

2. In a moving Picture machine of the type having a top eed sprocket and an intermittent feed sprocket, a shutter hinfed at its upper edge, means vfor holding saidbshutter in its open osition,/a lever pivoted between its ends, aving one end arranged to be within'the slack portion of a film between said sprockets, a second lever having one end adjacent to and in operative relation with saidl shutter holding means for movin the same to inoperative position when sai secondl lever is moved to one position of its movement a link pivoted to the other end of said first lever and to said second lever so that when the slack portion of the film becomes taut the end of the first lever within said slack portion is moved and said second lever is thereby moved to position for moving the shutter holding means to inoperative position, an electric circuit for 'furnishing power to o erate the machine, a switch therein, me anism for connecting said second lever with said switch so that when said second lever is moved to its last described position theswitch is moved to position for reaking the circuit.

3. In ai moving icture machine of the type having intermittent and take-up feed sprockets, a hinged shutter, means for holding said shutter in open position, a lever pivoted between its ends, an arm on said lever arranged to be within a slack loop portion of a film between said sprockets2 a second lever pivoted between its ends with one end adjacent to and in operative relation with said shutter holding mechanism, a

' link connectin said levers ,so that when said slack portion comes taut, said first lever will move said link, thereby moving the second lever to position for engaging said shutter holding means and moving it to inoperative osition.

4. n a moving icture machine, a hinged shutter, means forioldin said hinged shutter open, a lever pivote between its ends with one end adjacent to and inoperative relation with a shutter holding means, a link ivoted to the other end of said lever, means or holding a portion of a film taut in the machine, a bell crank lever having one arm arranged to be engaged by (said taut portion of the film for holding the lever in one position of its movement, means operativel connected with said lever for normally t rowing said arm across the path of travel of the film shuld the tension of the film be released, means for operatively connectiny said link with the other arm of said bell crank lever, so that should the tension on the film be removed, one ai'm of said bell crank lever is thrown into the path of the film, the other arm 4moves said last named means and said link for moving said first named lever to position for engaging said shutter holding means and moving' it to inoperative position.

5. In a moving picture machine, a'hinged shutter, means for holding the saine in open position, means for holdin a portion of a film taut in the machine, a ever designed to be engaged by said taut portion, means for p normally moving said lever to a position extending across the ath of travel of said taut portion, means or operatively connecting said lever with said shutter holding means so that if the taut portion should become slack or the film break, said shutter holding means will be released and said lever moved to its position extending cross the path of film travel.

6. In a movin picture machine, a hinged shutter, means or holding said shutter in open position, a lever pivotally mounted on the frame of the machine, a lever pivoted between its ends on the frame of the machine having an arm on one end arranged to be within a slack portion of a lm threaded through the machine, and an arm on the other` end located just above the lirst lever, a link pivoted to the first lever and to the last described arm of the second lever so that when the slack portion` of the loop becomes taut and moves said first arm, said second arm engages and moves said first lever, an electric circuit for operating the machine, a switch therein, means for op eratively connecting'. said first lever with said shutter holding means for moving the latter to inoperative position when said first lever is moved by said second arm, and means for operatively connecting the first lever with the switch.

7. In a moving picture machine, means for holding a portion of iilm taut in the machine, a support, a bell crank lever mounted thereon having one arm designed to be engaged by the taut portion ofthe film, means whereby the other arm of said lever is moved when the tension on said taut portion is released, a second lever pivoted to said first support, a second support, a third lever pivoted-'thereto between its ends, an arm on one end of said lever, received within the slack portion of said film, a lateral extension on the other arm of the third lever resting on the second lever, a slot formed on the second lever, and a pin on the second arm of said irst lever traveling in said slot.

8. In a moving picture maching having intermittent and take-up feed s rockets, means for holding a portion of a lm taut in the machine, a support, a bell crank lever mounted thereon having on one arm a spindle on which is a roller designed to be engaged by said taut portion of the film, a rod pivoted to said spindle, means operatively connected with the other arm, so arranged that if the tension on said taut portion should be released, the first named arm of said bell crank lever would move to extend said rod across the path of the lm and prevent the lrethreading thereof until said ell crank lever should be returned to its first position, a second lever pivoted to said support, a second support, a second bell crank lever 'pivoted thereto between its ends, an arm on one end of said second bell'V crank lever, arranged to be received within a slack portion of said film, means whereby the movement of said second bell crank lever moves said second lever, a slot formed on the second lever, a pin on the second arm of said first lever traveling in said slot, a hinged shutter, means for holding the said shutter open, a lever pivoted between its ends, arranged with one arm adjacent to said shutter holding means, and a link connecting said second lever with the other arm of saidrlast lever, so arranged that the movement of said last lever releases said shutter holding means.

9. In a moving ictu're'vmachine of the type having-a top eed sprocket and an intermittent eed sprocket, ashutter hinged at its upper edge, means for holding said shutter in-its open position, a lever pivoted between it's ends, one end ofpsai lever being' designed to stand normally in the path of a slack loopin avilm between saidv sprockets, a link pivoted to the other end" of said lever, a second leverV pivotally mounted with one end ladjacent and in operative relation with said shutter holding means for moving the sameto inoperative position when said second lever is moved to one position of its movement, said link being pivoted to said second lever so that should said slack loop become taut the end of said first lever within the loop will be engaged and lowered and the second-lever will thereby be moved and will engage said first means fot` moving it to said inoperative position, an electric circuit, includin a switch, a signal, and means for operative y connecting the switch with one of said levers for throwing the switch when the lever is moved.

10. 1n a moving picture machine, a hinged shutter, means for holding the same in open position, means for holding a portion of a lm taut in the machine, a lever designed to be engaged by said taut portion, means for normally moving said lever to a position extending across the path of travel of said taut portion, means for operatively connecting said lever with said shutter holding means so that if the taut ortion should become slack or the film brea said shutter holding means will be released and said lever moved to its position extending across the path of film travel, an electric circuit including a switch, and means for connecting said lever with said switch for throwing the switch when the lever is moved. Des Moines, Iowa, Oct. 7, 1912.

DELBERT O. SEAMAN. Witnesses: M. WALLACE, L. A. PALEY. 

